The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1887-04-09

A famous millionaire sat on tn
edge of a table in the Casino g
Newport one night last summe
and stared at his boots in dismay
"Yaw?" he yawned in an exces
of boredom as he raised his eve
brows and rammed his hands dee,
into his pockets, "it's slow, mon
strously slow"
Apparently it was. One or twt
men in faultless attire smoked nea
a window. Others sprawled il
languid desperation in the deer
arm-chairs, and an eminent stool
speculator added drowsiness to i
all by snoring with subtle but pen
Grating regularity in the corner
1t was a sultry night, and the ne
gro walters mopped their black
faces as they whispered together in
the corridor. The ennuied million.
aire could almost bear the tapping
Of the water in the harbor against
the sides of his beautiful steam
yacht. His horses moved uneasily
in the heat without and ratified the
big policeman impatiently.
1t was nearly midnight in the
Queen of American Watering
places and nothing was going on.
The millionaire kicked his heels
peevishly against the table and mo-
toned to one of the walters. They
all scrambled forward in such haste
that the Oldest one slipped and al
most fell. The great man smiled,
whereat a wave of JOY passed over
the dusky group, and all but one
retired with teeth in full review
Who is unhappy when millionaire
smiles?
SIS the champagne we'll iced?"
asked the man of means, good
naturally.
1T is, indeed, sab. De las bottle
wuz froze dead hard"
Bring me some"
When the waiter poured it out it
was so cold that it dribbled slowly
into glass and sent up milk-white
mist almost as thick as the foam
that raced to the top of the glass,
while the dew gathered in beads on
the bottle. The millionaire smiled,
gently as he gazed at the cham
payne, and then he glanced at the
painting waiter
would you like to SILVER,
Thomas?" he asked solemnly.
Me, sah?" said the waiter, with
a chuckle. "Dere amt not'in in
dis heah wuld ud make me shivah
t'night, sah-no-'n'deedy.
"Oh, yes, there is"
"'Squse me, sab, but I'm roastin',
/ am, n l dom b'lieve I'll evan be !
COP again"
"Pll make you shiver in two
minutes by the watch, or I'll give
you $50.
$50 ahead, sab !"
Without more ado the million
aire took the champagne bottle
from the others hand, turned it
upside down, thrust it calmly down
the back of the darkey's neck and
left it there, while the champagne
dripped gently down the walters
spine. Then, watch in hand, be
waited, while the loungers sat up
and the walters moved in from the
corridors with their eyes fairly
starting from their heads.
Don you shivah, you fool Mig
gah |! said the foremost of them in
u hoarse whisper to Thomas. "'F "
do Tll-I'll kick yo' head often "
body, shuh. " got chance f. teri
pay me dem sewing dollyahs now,
an fly miss it I'll lam VI will
fer a fac"
Meanwhile the waiter stood there
with pursed lips staring eyes and
clynched fists. His head was bent
forward and his legs spread apart,
while his breath came in mighty
snorts. The loungers were crowd
ing around with their watches in
their hands making bets rapidly
while the time wore slowly away.
Presently the millionaire shouted
"One minute -"
go, Lordy moaned Thomas in
\ voice like the soulful roar of a
cavern by the sea.
"Tm a-goin' I'm a-goin'!"
Remember dem sewing dol
yahs?"
There was an uwful hush, the I
sound of the grinding of African ,
eeth, wild "huh-wu-wu-whoooo !" ,
followed by helpless chattering, and :
Thomas stood shaking like an aspen /
eaf, With one eye turned appeal ,
ngly on the seven dollar man,
while the other sought the face of :
he millionaire. One after the !
,ther the walters essayed the test, ,
md for two hours the Casino was :
he liveliest spot in America. Then :
he famous millionaire climbed
,ontentedly to the seat Of his cart
md murmured as he drove home
II the moonlight: at wasn't SO 7
slow after all -